I work on developing models to predict duckweed growth under different temperatures, light intensities, and nutrient concentrations, which are validated through data collected using laboratory experiments. I am also interested in looking at changes in duckweed nutrient uptake and protein accumulation under different environmental conditions. This work is part of a project funded by Open Philanthropy that looks at emergency food resilience in the face of global catastrophic events.

Currently, our research lab is working on an NSF-funded project that explores the potential of growing duckweed on dairy manure and using it as dairy feed and fertilizer-substitute, essentially transforming the nitrogen bioeconomy and promoting a circular agriculture system. Within this project, I specifically focus on how duckweed can be used as a substitute for soybean-based protein feed in order to improve water quality in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

In addition to modeling integrated duckweed-wastewater treatment systems at watershed-scale, I am also interested in conducting life cycle assessments on these systems at a farm-scale to evaluate short- and long-term environmental impacts and benefits. I also plan on incorporating LCA studies to (1) the WEF-nexus based system modeling work and (2) the emergency food resilience project for an integrated household-scale anaerobic digester-vertical duckweed farming system.

I have worked with Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) for my Master's and PhD work, looking at watershed-scale impacts of land management, and improving the nutrient transport representation in the model for better water quality predictions. I have conducted model calibration and validation (for streamflow, sediment, and nutrients) on multiple watersheds in US and Germany . The calibrated models were used to study impacts of different crops and agricultural practices on water quantity and quality.

Using an efficient framework combining SWAT simulations and optimization algorithms, the cropping pattern in St. Joseph River watershed (USA) was spatially optimized to (1) increase biofuel production (using Switchgrass, Miscanthus, and corn stover), and (2) reduce downstream water pollution, within the constraints of ensuring food security and reducing food versus fuel competition.